Saratoga Springs, NY — Coaches Corner (Always A Virgin) paced the fourth fastest mile in the history of Saratoga Casino Hotel on Saturday evening (July 20) as the Per Engblom trainee scored an impressive victory in the 15th Annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace.

Coaches Corner dug in down the stretch to win the Joe Gerrity Memorial at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Jessica Hallett Photo.

Jason Bartlett piloted Coaches Corner, who hadn’t raced in over a month before his try in the $250,000 Gerrity but drew post two off of a qualifier at the Meadowlands in which he covered the mile in 1:50 with a sparkling final quarter of :25.4.

The morning line favorite in the Gerrity, Coaches Corner went off as the 5-2 second-choice in the wagering with “major danger” Desperate Man drawing post eight for his try. Coaches Corner paced out to the lead in a sizzling 26.2 first quarter before reaching the half in :54.4.

As Desperate Man (Matt Kakaley) revved up his engine, he was caught three-wide past three quarters in 1:22. Bartlett asked Coaches Corner for all he had turning for home just as pocket-sitter Backstreet Shadow (Tyler Buter) took his shot at the leader in the stretch.

At the wire, it was four-year-old Coaches Corner who reigned supreme, stopping the timer in 1:49.3, the fourth fastest clocking in track history. In the win, the Engblom trainee held off Backstreet Shadow who finished second, coming up just a length shy of the victory. Longshot Pleaseletmeknow (Mark Macdonald) earned the show spot while the favored Desperate Man had to settle for fourth after navigating through a difficult journey in the season’s richest race at the Spa.

Coaches Corner, who is owned in partnership by Brian Carsey and Jeff Fought Racing, paid $7.10 to win as he boosted his lifetime earnings to over the half million dollar mark. With the win, Jason Bartlett became the first driver to prevail twice in the Gerrity in its fifteen years worth of installments as he piloted the 2015 winner PH Supercam for trainer Jeff Bamond Jr.

Engblom is now the fifteenth different trainee to send out a Gerrity winner. Bartlett made three trips to winner’s circle on the Saturday evening card at the Spa.

Live racing resumes at Saratoga on Thursday evening with a first post time set for 5 p.m.